Air freshener container or vapor diffusing device

ABSTRACT

A vapor diffusing device comprising a base and a closure or cover which are detachable from each other, the base having a bottom wall and an upstanding annular sidewall with the upstanding sidewall having spaced openings therein. Means on the interior of the upstanding sidewall providing a plurality of vertically spaced ledges. The cover is adapted to be positioned so that when it is in its fully lowered position the cover provides vapor sealing engagement with the base and when the cover is raised with respect to the base it is supported in its raised position on the vertically spaced ledges to provide vapor passages through the spaced openings.

[ Sept. 30, 1975 Unite States Patent [191 Crowle et al.

[5 AIR FRESHENER CONTAINER 0R VAPOR 3.104.8l6 9/1963 Jaffe DIFFUSINGDEVICE 3339.145 3/1966 Primary E.\'aminerM. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant E.\'aminerAndres Kashnikow Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Max R.Kraus; E. Donald Mays mm mm Hm c H b ma WL m t Cm m h m b am 9k Hr faWEP r O t n e V m H 7 [73] Assignee: VCA Corporation, Baton Rouge,

[57] ABSTRACT A vapor diffusing device comprising a base and a clo- [22]Filed: July 5, 1974 [21] Appl. N .1 485, 3 sure or cover which aredetachable from each other,

the base having a bottom wall and an upstanding annular sidewall withthe upstanding sidewall having spaced openings therein. Means on theinterior of the [52] US. Cl. 239/58; ISO/0.5; 239/60 [51] Int. A61L 9/04upstanding sidewall providing a plurality of vertically spaced ledges.The cover is adapted to be positioned so that when it is in its fullylowered position the cover provides vapor sealing engagement with thebase and QMA 4H "M2 1 3 51 ,l 53 3 6 B2 91 33 2; 5 no 6/ m2 m; m m 5 l ei F o e 5 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1951 Will 239/58X 9/1956 Meek....... 10/1956 r c d e h w 239/58 X 12 Claims, 9 DrawingFigures Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,908,906

US. Patent US. Patent sfipt. 30,1975 Sheet 2 01*2 3,908,906-

AIR FRESI-IENER CONTAINER OR VAPOR DIFFUSING DEVICE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION This invention is directed to an air freshener container orvapor diffusing device comprising a base and a cover or closure memberin which the base contains a volatile material, for example, an airfreshening deodorizer, and in which the closure or cover is manuallydisplaceable with respect to the base to provide means for controllingthe effective rate of volatilization or evaporation of the air treatmentagent, and also wherein the cover can be positively locked with respectto the base so that it is sealed with respect to the base to preventevaporation or volatilization of the air treating agent.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the foregoingcharacter where as the volatilization or evaporation takes place and asthe air treating agent reduces in size and its appearance deterioratesor is destroyed that it will not be visible and will be practicallyhidden from exterior view.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device in which thecover may be adjusted relative to the base to a plurality of differentelevated or raised posi tions which permits substantial control orvariation of the rate of volatilization, while at the same timeeffectively locking the cover relative to the base during periods ofnon-use or during the period of shipment of same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the foregoingcharacter which is inexpensive to produce, substantially foolproof inoperation and very attractive in appearance and appropriate for use inany environment where appearance is important.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the device in closed position, with thetop disk of the closure member shown detached for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 2 is a central cross-sectional view showing the disk in lockedsealing position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view looking down into the base member.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary inside elevational view of the base membershowing the three ribs.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the closure orcover locked to the base member.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the locking lug on theclosure and its position when being moved into locking position on thebase.

FIG. 7 is a broken-away perspective view showing particularly theinterior of the base member.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the cover resting in itsfirst elevated position with respect to the base: and

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the underside of the base.

The device consists essentially of two basic parts, namely. a basegenerally indicated at 10 and a cover or closure member generallyindicated at 12, each of which is integrally molded of a plasticmaterial. The cover 12 is molded to provide a top annular opening 14which is closed by a disk 15, as shown in FIG. 2. The air treatingmaterial indicatedat l6 and illustrated in dotted lines, subsequently tobe described, is held secured in the base 10. The base and cover are soconstructed that the cover may be locked to the base in a vapor sealingposition, as shown in FIG. 2, and when in use the cover 12 is elevatedor raised with respect to the base 10 to various elevations to provideincreased or decreased vapor passages which are formed in the base. Oneof such elevated positions is shown in FIG. 8.

The base 10 is generally cup-shaped and comprises a closed bottomgenerally indicated at 18 which consists of a lower annular side wall 19and a horizontal bottom wall 20 which has an annular centrally raisedbottom portion 21 with spaced radially extending bosses 22. The closedbottom forms a pocket 24 for receiving the air treating material, aswill be subsequently described, so that it is secured to the base. Thepocket 24 includes the annular well 25 between the annular side wall 19and the centrally raised bottom portion 21. The top or rim 23 of theside wall 19 has an annular groove 26.

Extending upwardly of the lower annular side wall 19 is an upper annularside wall generally indicated at 28 which is provided with verticallyextending spaced elongated openings 30 which form the vapor passages andwhich also divide the upper side wall into alternate side wall sections32 and 34, with the wall section 32 being approximately twice the widthof the wall section 34. The bottom of each wall section 32 has anopening 36 which also form vapor passages. The wall sections 32 and 34forming the upper wall extend from below the top of the annular sidewall 19 to the top edge which forms a scalloped-shaped rim 37 at themouth of base member 10. The lower ends 32 and 34' of the wall sections32 and 34, respectively, incline and the upper annular side wall 28.inclines or tapers outwardly from the bottom to the top rim 37 to givethe upper annular wall an outwardly flared configuration. The verticalopenings 30 forming the vapor passages have an elongated taperedappearance with the greatest width adjacent the bottom of the openingand the top 30' of the opening terminates a distance below the top edgeor rim 37 of the cup or base.

The inside of the upper annular wall 28 of the base is provided withfive groups of inwardly extending vertical ribs. Each group of ribs,generally indicated at 40, comprises three spaced ribs identified by thenumerals 42, 44 and 46 which are of different lengths or heights. Thefirst rib 42 of each group is the shortest, the third rib 46 the longestand the second or intermediate rib 44 of intermediate length. Thebottoms of the three ribs are connected by a bottom horizontal lockingstrip 48 which is spaced upwardly of the rim 23 of the annular bottomside wall 19 and which locking strips are engaged by the locking lugs onthe cover in a camming action to lock the cover in its sealing position,as best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, to be described. The end of thelocking strip 48 adjacent the rib 46 is beveled as at 49, as best seenin FIG. 4, to facilitate engagement with the cover locking lugs.

The horizontal top edge 50 of the shortest rib 42 serves as a rest orledge or support for the cover 12 in its first raised position, bestseen in FIG. 8. The horizontal top edge 52 of the second or intermediaterib 44 serves as a rest or ledge or support for the cover in its secondor uppermost raised or elevated position. The second or intermediate rib44 above the top horizontal edge 52 is inclined as at 53 toward thewall. The third or longest rib 46 has a downwardly inclined top edge 54which is rounded as at 56 as it merges with the front edge 57 of saidrib. The third rib 46 serves to properly guide the cover into the basewhen it is inserted and in addition serves as a stop member, as will besubsequently described, as does the second or intermediate rib 44, morefully to be described in connection with the operation of the cover. Thethree spaced ribs 42, 44 and 46 of each group of ribs are formed on thewider side wall sections 32 of the upper portion of the base.

The cover or closure 12 is a shell-like member having acylindrical-shaped body 60 with an annular ring-like ti'p wall 62providing the central top opening 14 and open at its bottom. 'The topwall ring 62 is below the annular top edge 65 of the body 60. Thecylindrical body 60 is provided with a slight taper which tapersinwardly from the bottom toward the top. The outer surface of thecylindrical body may be ornamented with lines or other configurations toenhance its appearance. The disk has an annular peripheral lip orshoulder 15 to engage the top wall 62 when positioned thereon and sealedthereto, with a portion of the disk extending into the opening 14, aswill be described.

The annular bottom edge 66 of the cylindrical body 60 is recessed as at67 to provide a downwardly extending lip 68 and a horizontal shoulder 69so that when the cover is positioned in sealing position on the base,the lip 68 enters the annular groove 26 of the rim 23 of the lowerbottom of the base, as shown in FIGS. 2 and S, to form a seal-tight fittherewith to prevent any vapor from escaping from the interior of thesealed container.

Immediately above the recessed lower rim of the cover is a plurality ofspaced locking lugs generally indicated at 70. Five such locking lugsare shown for engagement with the five horizontal locking strips 48. Asbest seen in FIG. 6, the top 72 of each locking lug slopes or inclinesupwardly from the front or lead edge 73 thereof toward the rear whichterminates in an upward projection 74 which serves as a stop to preventfurther continued rotation of the cover when in its fully closed orsealing position, as shown in FIG. 2. The locking lugs 70 act as cams sothat rotation of the cover to lock the cover to the base in effect camsthe locking lugs in locking position.

The underside of the closed bottom of the base is best seen in FIGS. 8and 9. The raised bottom portion 21 also provides a recessed area 76above the bottom edge 77 of the base 10 which opens downwardly and fourarcuate-shaped bosses 78 are spacedly formed on the underside so thatthe base 10 may be positioned on a tool or the like to hold the base inposition when the cover is initially secured to the base, which is doneat the plant where the parts are molded, as will be better understoodfrom the description of the operation which follows.

OPERATION to the'base to permit} easy and accurate insertion. The lip 68on the bottom'edge 66of the cover will enter the annular groove 26 onthe rim 23 of the base with the shoulder 69 resting on the rim. To lockthe cover to the base the cover is rotated clockwise with the front edge73 of the locking lug 7 first passing under the beveled edge 49 of thehorizontal locking strip 48. As the cover is rotated clockwise thesloping top surface 72 of the locking lug earns the locking lugs intolocking engagement with the horizontal locking strips 48 until the rearprojections 74 of the locking lugs engage the rear edge of the lockingstrips 48 which prevents further clockwise rotation of the cover andthereby locks the cover to the base in a vapor-seal position, in whichposition it remains during shipment and when in non-use positionprevents vapor from emanating fromthe device. In this lowered or sealingposition. the cover if rotated counterclockwise will still remain invapor sealproof closed position as the rear edge and projection 74 ofthe locking lugs will engage the bottom of the first or shortest ribs 42and the opposite edge of the adjacent locking strips 48 to preventfurther counterclockwise rotation. The cover, however, will not be in alocked position.

Assuming that the cover is in locked position with the locking lugs 70locked to the locking strips 48 and the device is to be used, the coveris rotated counterclock wise until the locking lugs 70 are free of thelocking strips 48. The cover is then raised or lifted to either first orsecond raised position as desired. For example, if desired to raise itto first position, as shown in FIG. 8, the cover is raised to the topedges 50 of the first ribs 42 and the cover is rotated counterclockwiseso that the bottoms of the locking lugs 70 rest on thetop edges 50 tosupport the cover in its first raised position. The rear edges and theprojections 74 of the locking lugs will engage the intermediate ribs 44and prevent or stop further counterclockwise rotation at this raisedposition. With the cover in first raised position (FIG. 8) the bottom ofthe cylindrical cover is above the sealing position of the cover, thusexposing the lower portions of the vapor openings 30- as well asopenings 36 to permit vapor to pass through. When greater vaporizationis desired the cover 12 is raised and rotated counterclockwise so thatthe locking lugs 70 rest on the ledges 52 of the intermediate ribs 44and further counterclockwise rotation of the cover being prevented inthis second raised position by engagement of the rear of the lockinglugs with the third ribs 46. Y

To close the cover, the cover is rotated counterclockwise from any ofits elevated positions so that the locking lugs are disengaged fromtheir respective ledges and the cover is lowered to its lowermostposition in the base and then rotated clockwise to locking position asdescribed. While three ribs are shownfor each group of ribs it will beunderstood that a fewer or greater number of ribs may be provided ineach group of ribs if increased or decreased cover positions aredesired.

Another feature of the invention herein is that as the cover is elevatedand asthe air treating material 16 in the base is used up due to itsvaporization, there is no detraction from the appearance since thedeteriorated or misshaped air treating material remaining in the-base issubstantially-hidden from exterior view, even when the cover or closureis in either of its raised positions.

The manner in which the volatile material or deodorizing material is putinto the unit will now be described.

The cover 12 without the disk 15 thereof is locked to the base by meansof lockings lugs, etc. as previously described. This leaves the top ofthe cover open and in this manner it is shipped to the company who willsupply the volatile air treating agent, which agent is poured into thelocked container through the opening 14 in the cover. The material willthen fill and occupy the closed bottom 18 of the base, including theannular well 25 as well as the pocket 24 and will extend upwardly beyondthe top of the base into the cover portion but be confined within thecover or closure. The material is allowed to solidify and harden andbecomes embedded in the closed bottom 18 of the base and adheresthereto. The bosses 22 serve to lock the hardened deodorizing materialin the base so as to prevent rotation of the hardened deodorizingmaterial when the cover is rotated. While the deodorizing material wheninitially poured into the cover will occupy the interior space of thecylindrical body of the cover, it will reduce in size as it hardens sothat it disengages from the inside wall of the cylindrical wall of thecover so that the cover can be rotated without disturbing the hardeneddeodorizing material. The disk is then permanently secured to close theopening 14 in the cover in any conventional manner.

What is claimed is:

l. A vapor diffusing device compirsing a base and a closure or coverwhich are detachable from each other, said base having a bottom wall andan upstanding annular side wall with said upstanding sidewall havingspaced openings therein, means on the interior of said upstandingsidewall providing a plurality of vertically spaced apart ledges, saidcover adapted to be positioned so that when in its fully loweredposition the cover provides vapor sealing engagement with said base andwhen said cover is raised with respect to said base it is supported inits raised position on said vertically spaced ledges to provide vaporpassages through said spaced openings.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said vertically spacedapart ledges are a plurality of grouped vertical, radially spaced apartribs and in which certain of said ribs in each of said group alsoprovide a stop means to prevent further rotation of the closure in onedirection while resting on the ledges.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the cover has locking lugsadapted to engage means on the base for detachably locking said cover tosaid base in a vapor sealing position.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which the locking lugs areadapted to rest on said vertically spaced ledges to hold the cover inelevated or raised positon relative to the base.

5. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which the cover has locking lugsadapted to engage means on the base for detachably locking said cover tosaid base in a vapor sealing position and in which said locking lugs areadapted to rest on the ribs to maintain the cover at different elevatedpositions with adjacent ribs of each group providing stop means toprevent further rotation of the closure in one direction while restingon the ledges, the positioning of said cover at different elevatedpositions serving to provide increased or decreased vapor passagesthrough said spaced openings.

6. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which each group of said radiallyspaced ribs comprises at least three ribs with the first and second ribshaving the tops thereof at different heights to serve as ledges forsupporting the cover in two raised positions and with the second rib andthe third rib also preventing rotation of the cover in one directionwhile resting on the first rib and second rib respectively, and with thetop of the third rib extending above the top of the second rib.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the third rib also servesto guide the cover when it is inserted into the base.

8. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the cover has locking lugswith sloping tops which when the cover is rotated clockwise lock in acamming action with the means on the base to hold the cover in fullyclosed and vapor sealing position.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 in which the base has an annulargroove which receives the annular lip on the bottom of the cover whenthe cover is in vapor sealing position.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9 in which the bottom wall of thebase has a centrally raised bottom portion defining a well and providedwith bosses to which the deodorizing material is secured when ithardens.

11. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the underside of the basehas a recessed portion which has inwardly extending bosses for holdingthe base while the cover is initially secured thereto in a lockedposition.

12. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said cover has an openingin its upper end and means for closing said upper end opening.

l l l

1. A vapor diffusing device compirsing a base and a closure or coverwhich are detachable from each other, said base having a bottom wall andan upstanding annular side wall with said upstanding sidewall havingspaced openings therein, means on the interior of said upstandingsidewall providing a plurality of vertically spaced apart ledges, saidcover adapted to be positioned so that when in its fully loweredposition the cover provides vapor sealing engagement with said base andwhen said cover is raised with respect to said base it is supported inits raised position on said vertically spaced ledges to provide vaporpassages through said spaced openings.
 2. A device as set forth in claim1 in which said vertically spaced apart ledges are a plurality ofgrouped vertical, radially spaced apart ribs and in which certain ofsaid ribs in each of said group also provide a stop means to preventfurther rotation of the closure in one direction while resting on theledges.
 3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the cover haslocking lugs adapted to engage means on the base for detachably lockingsaid cover to said base in a vapor sealing position.
 4. A device as setforth in claim 3 in which the locking lugs are adapted to rest on saidvertically spaced ledges to hold the cover in elevated or raised positonrelative to the base.
 5. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which thecover has locking lugs adapted to engage means on the base fordetachably locking said cover to said base in a vapor sealing positionand in which said locking lugs are adapted to rest on the ribs tomaintain the cover at different elevated positions with adjacent ribs ofeach group providing stop means to prevent further rotation of theclosure in one direction while resting on the ledges, the positioning ofsaid cover at different elevated positions serving to provide increasedor decreased vapor passages through said spaced openings.
 6. A device asset forth in claim 2 in which each group of said radially spaced ribscomprises at least three ribs with the first and second ribs having thetops thereof at different heights to serve as ledges for supporting thecover in two raised positions and with the second rib and the third ribalso preventing rotation of the cover in one direction while resting onthe first rib and second rib respectively, and with the top of the thirdrib extending above the top of the second rib.
 7. A device as set forthin claim 6 in which the third rib also serves to guide the cover when itis inserted into the base.
 8. A device as set forth in claim 6 in whichthe cover has locking lugs with sloping tops which when the cover isrotated clockwise lock in a camming action with the means on the base tohold the cover in fully closed and vapor sealing position.
 9. A deviceas set forth in claim 8 in which the base has an annular groove whichreceives the annular lip on the bottom of the cover when the cover is invapor sealing position.
 10. A device as set forth in claim 9 in whichthe bottom wall of the base has a centrally raised bottom portiondefining a well and provided with bosses to which the deodorizingmaterial is secured when it hardens.
 11. A device as set forth in claim6 in which the underside of the base has a recessed portion which hasinwardly extending bosses for holding the base while the cover isinitially secured thereto in a locked position.
 12. A device as setforth in claim 1 in which said cover has an opening in its upper end andmeans for closing said upper end opening.